The cecum is the first part of the large intestine, connecting the ileum (the final section of the small intestine) with the ascending colon. It is situated in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. The cecum, also spelled caecum, derives its name from the Latin caecus for "blind", a reference to the fact that the bottom of it is a blind pouch. Fecal material from the ileum enters the cecum through the ileocecal valve or Bauhin's valve and exits to the colon through the cecocolic junction. Attached to the cecum is the appendix.

 

In rabbits and horses, the cecum contains large numbers of microbes, which help break down the cellulose cell walls of the plants they eat, thus making more nutrients available to their hosts.